


The Wizard and the Fighter

by MissPolarBear



Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz
Genre: Additional Tags to Be Added, Apocalypse Of The Damned, Fighter!Michael, I’m really really bad at tagging things, Kind of violent but I’m not sure if I should use the archive warning, Magic Be More Chill, Magic!Jeremy, Monsters die by axe, Player 1 - Freeform, Real Life Video Game, Survival, Two player game gets a little extreme, Weapons, Wizard!Jeremy, monster death, player 2, video games - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-17
Updated: 2019-05-25
Packaged: 2020-01-15 06:07:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18492931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissPolarBear/pseuds/MissPolarBear
Summary: Jeremy and Michael think video games are great... but they begin to doubt this when they are pulled into a survival video game.It’s less fun when you only have one life.





	1. What The Hell Are You Wearing?

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! I am so excited to share this story with you guys!! 
> 
> Originally, I was planning on making this story only one chapter. Now I might make it around ten, but who knows, it might be more or less. Either way, I hope you enjoy the first chapter! :)

The first thing Jeremy saw was the sun, beaming right into his eyes.

 

He groaned before closing his eyes and turning over. His hands fiddled for a blanket that wasn’t there.

 

It took Jeremy a moment to realize that he wasn’t in his bed.

 

He sat up forcefully, eyes snapping open once more. A grassy sunlit field stretched out before him, edged with trees and overgrowth. Was that a mountain in the distance?

 

Jeremy’s heart began to race as he attempted to retrace his steps. How did he get here? He didn’t recognize this place at all.

 

A glance down at his clothes only worried him more. Instead of his usual jeans and cardigan, he was wearing a black cloak lined with traces of blue and silver. Scuffed hiking boots stuck out from under the layers of black.

 

Jeremy was beginning to feel dizzy. He pulled himself to his feet, the black cloak fluttering slightly. He ran his hand through his unkempt brown hair, trying to rationalize his thoughts.

 

Something caught his eye. He turned to his right, his gaze falling upon a body laying in the grass.

 

“Michael!” He said in surprise.

 

Michael was laying a couple feet away, his chest rising and falling steadily. Like Jeremy, he had hiking boots, but the similarities stopped there. His outfit consisted of dark brown clothes as well as some sort of brass chest plate.

 

Jeremy darted over to his friend, falling to his knees. He grabbed Michael’s shoulders, careful not to shake him too hard. “Michael!”

 

“Wha...?” Michael’s eyes slowly opened, and only then did Jeremy realize he wasn’t wearing any glasses. He looked Jeremy up and down, a smile breaking out onto his face. “What the hell are you wearing?”

 

“Look at yourself,” Jeremy shot back. Michael propped himself onto his elbows, glancing down at his outfit. He frowned.

 

“What’s going on?” Michael asked, an edge in his voice. Jeremy shrugged helplessly.

 

“I— I don’t know, man. We’re outside.”

 

Michael stood up, staring around at the unfamiliar terrain. Jeremy couldn’t see anything but grass and trees for miles.

 

“Wha—?”

 

“I told you, I don’t know what’s going on,” Jeremy said once again. Michael’s face fell.

 

“I... Okay. We can figure this out,” Michael muttered, glancing down. “What happened before this?”

 

“The last thing I remember is going to sleep. Then I woke up here.”

 

“...Me too,” Michael realized, meeting Jeremy’s nervous gaze. After a moment, his hands flew to his face. “Wait— I’m not wearing glasses. I can see.”

 

“This is too weird,” Jeremy mumbled, taking a step back. Something solid hit his knee, and he glanced down, slipping his hand into his pocket.

 

He pulled out a pile of gold, silver, and bronze coins. “Wha—“

 

“Dude!” Michael exclaimed. “You didn’t tell me you were rich.”

 

Jeremy let out a small chuckle, and the tension relieved slightly. “Dude— check all your pockets.”

 

When Michael pulled out a pile of coins as well (much to his delight), the two sat cross-legged across from each other in the grass. They formed two small piles of coins, glinting in the sun.

 

Jeremy didn’t realize how many pockets a cloak could have until this moment. Out of another pocket, he pulled out an assortment of plants and herbs, some in glass bottles, and set them down in front of him.

 

The rest of the items in his pockets were miscellaneous and random. By the time he had taken them all from his pockets, he had three feathers, five jewels, a necklace, six apples, a bone, a tattered brown notebook, and one gold key. Across from him, Michael had created piles of similar contents.

 

“You know what this reminds me of?” Michael asked slowly. Jeremy had a sinking feeling he knew exactly what he was going to say.

 

“ _Age_ _of_ _Magic_ ,“ Michael said, wide eyes meeting Jeremy’s.

 

 _Age_ _of_ _Magic_  was an adventure game that Jeremy and Michael had been playing a lot over the past few months. The goal was to complete as many storylines as possible, all the while leveling up your characters and fighting monsters.

 

Jeremy took a sharp intake of breath, bringing a hand to his face. “So... you think we’re _in_  the game?”

 

“Seems like it,” Michael responded slowly, frowning at the assorted piles in front of him. “We just started a new game a week ago... you were a wizard, and I was a fighter— _oh my god, we’re in the game.”_

 

Jeremy’s hands felt numb. He glanced over his shoulder, heartbeat picking up. “Oh god, we can’t survive here. There are actual, literal monsters in this game!”

 

Michael exhaled, drumming his fingers over his knee. “It’ll be fine. There’s nothing around here,” he added with a quick look around around. His volume dropped a bit. “But— But I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to be a little quieter.”

 

Jeremy nodded. He began to put some of the items back into his pockets, but he stopped when he picked up the tattered notebook. His curiosity got the best of him and he split it open, peering into the crisp pages.

 

The very first page was a sketch of a teenager, draped in a dark cloak. It took him a moment to realize it was him. After a moment of studying it, he began to read.

 

________

 

Jeremy Heere

Level 8 Wizard

 

Current spells:

Fireball

Shadowcast

 

Special move:

Whirlwind

 

Weapon:

Small dagger

 

Current objective:

None

 

________

 

“So we are in the game,” Jeremy murmured. Saying the words out loud sent a chill down his spine.

 

Michael saw what he was doing and picked up his own notebook.

 

________

 

Michael Mell

Level 9 Fighter

 

Weapon:

Battlewinner’s Axe

 

Current objective:

None

 

________

 

“Oh! Battlewinner’s Axe!” Michael’s face lit up. “Remember that other day when we fought King Battlewinner? After we defeated him, I won his axe!” He glanced around, his gaze falling on something glinting in the sun several feet away. He moved closer, picking up the enormous weapon in his hands. “Fuck yeah!”

 

Jeremy wasn’t especially fond of Michael being the owner of something so dangerous, but he figured it could give them at least a little protection. There wasn’t much they could do with Jeremy’s tiny dagger, which was hidden away in another one of his pockets.

 

“Dude. Be careful,” Jeremy warned. Michael laughed.

 

“I will,” Michael promised. He moved back to where Jeremy was, setting the axe down. “I think I just got super strong. AND I don’t need glasses! Maybe this isn’t such a bad thing.”

 

Jeremy snorted, the corners of his mouth twitching up. “Just wait until it gets dark.”

 

The moment the words left his mouth, both of them nervously glanced up at the sky. The sun was still high and bright, beaming down on them.

 

“Okay, so maybe we don’t have to worry about that right now,” Jeremy corrected himself. “But we should really think about finding shelter. Or a town, or something.”

 

Michael nodded, glancing around. “I think this is a totally different map,” he admitted. “I don’t recognize any of this from the game.” After a moment he suggested, “Let’s walk along the forest. We can look for a town from there.”

 

Jeremy nodded, taking a deep breath. “Good idea.” After making sure his pockets were secure, he straightened his cloak. “Let’s go.”

 

The two boys made their way across the field, the sun still shining bright above them.

 

Their journey had only begun.

 

 


	2. Potions Master

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jeremy and Michael find an old house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! I wrote three different versions of this chapter, and this is the final result. I didn’t edit this so sorry if it’s a bit hard to read :P

Jeremy felt like they had been walking for miles.

About twenty minutes have passed and they were still trekking along the border between the field and the forest. Jeremy sighed.

“Do you think we’re actually getting anywhere?”

Michael gave him a quizzical look. “What do you mean?”

Jeremy gestured in front of them. “Nothing’s really changed. Maybe this is actually just a huge circle.”

“...I doubt it,” Michael said after a moment. Something caught his eye up ahead and he lit up. “Look! There!”

Jeremy peered forward. Way ahead was a narrow, tall building, a short distance away from the forest. They got closer and he could see that it was made of stone. There were a couple dark windows and a single wooden door.

He suddenly got nervous. “Wait— what if this is dangerous?” Michael was hesitant as well.

“Well... what else can we do?” He replied. “We can’t just keep walking. Maybe there’s someone in there that knows how to help us get out.”

Jeremy wasn’t too certain that the people in this universe knew they were in a video game, but he followed Michael anyways.

The boys approached the chipped wooden door, eyeing each other nervously. After a moment Jeremy reached up, knocking twice before backing away.

There was silence for a moment.

Then the door flew open to reveal a man, probably in his late thirties or early forties. Dark hair swept over his head, a similar color to his black robes. He appeared surprisingly well-kept for someone in this universe.

“Hello,” he said softly, eyeing them both. “What brings you here?”

Jeremy was suddenly at a loss for words. _Shit_! “We— uh, we—“

“We’re travelers,” Michael cut in. “Uh, we were just wondering if we could stop here.”

The man’s eyes narrowed as he looked Michael up and down. “Where are you from?”

Now it was Michael’s turn to freeze up. “...From the City of Fireflies,” he forced out.

The City of Fireflies was a place in the game, Jeremy remembered, which was easily looked over and forgotten by players. He nodded quickly when the man glanced at him.

The man raised an eyebrow. “Well, I’m impressed. It must have been a long walk. Come in.”

He stepped back, allowing the boys to enter. The room inside was circular, the only light being a few candles and the sun streaming in through the window. A few plants hung from the ceiling, and a table with three seats was set near the wall. A small staircase spiraled around the wall into the upstairs.

“Take a seat,” the man told them. Michael set the axe near the door before following Jeremy across the room. Jeremy and Michael eased into two of the seats, and the man sat across from them, eyeing them through calculating blue eyes. “What are your names?”

“I’m Michael,” Michael responded. “This is Jeremy.”

The man nodded. “I’m Euron. Nice to meet you.”

“N-Nice to meet you, too.”

“Are you a wizard?” Euron asked, not hesitating to move onto the next question. Jeremy didn’t have to guess to know he was being spoken to.

“Uh, yes, actually,” Jeremy responded, fiddling with his hands under the table. “Are you?”

“You could say that, yes.” Euron gestured to a green plant that hung several feet down from the ceiling. “More specifically, a potions master.”

“Oh, a potions master! They’re one of my favorites,” Jeremy said eagerly. In his opinion, any of the characters with magical properties were the best characters of the game.

Euron watched him, his eyes studying. It suddenly occurred to Jeremy that his choice of words was a bit odd.

He felt a spike of anxiety in his heart. “I— I mean— well, you know, out of all the people that I meet, potions masters are— they have the best personalities.” Michael was stiff next to him.

“...Thank you,” Euron murmured.

Jeremy was starting to feel as if this conversation was going nowhere. Euron was just so... cold, and calculating.

“May I ask where you are headed?” Euron spoke up after a moment of silence.

Jeremy was thankful when Michael decided to take over. “Unfortunately, we’re a bit lost. Do you possibly have a map of where we are?”

Euron’s face broke into a smile. “I thought you’d never ask.” He stood up, striding across the room to a desk which he began rifling through.

Jeremy and Michael exchanged nervous glances when his back was turned.

“I don’t remember this building or this character,” Jeremy said helplessly. Michael nodded fearfully.

“Why is he so...?” Michael trailed off, unsure how to explain.

“...empty?” Jeremy finished for him.

Michael peeked over his shoulder at the man who was still looking through the drawer. “No... I feel like there’s something suspicious here.”

Jeremy glanced at the man as well. “...What—?”

He broke off as Euron turned around, holding a large paper. He focused on the table before him, pretending to be thoroughly interested in the grooves.

“Here we are. A map of Greenwood,” he said as he placed the map down.

Jeremy shot Michael a glance. _Greenwood_.

Greenwood made up the entire east side of the map, in the game at least. So they definitely were in some version of the game.

Jeremy inspected the map. Aside from some minor differences, it was almost an exact replica to the video game. He exhaled. “Th-Thank you for this. Where are we?”

Euron pointed to an area somewhat near the edge of the map. A small black dot close to the Forest of Integrity.

Michael nodded. “Ah, yes. Thank you.”

“Of course.” Euron stepped back as the boys slowly stood up. Jeremy was more than uncomfortable; would it be rude to leave now?

“So tell me,” Euron said suddenly. “Is there anything you might need for your trip? A weapon, perhaps?”

“I already have a weapon,” Michael said, gesturing to the axe at the door. “But thank you.”

Jeremy hesitated. “I-I’ll take a weapon. If you don’t mind.”

Euron raised an eyebrow. “I thought you were a wizard?”

“Well, yes,” Jeremy wrung his hands together, leaning awkwardly against the table, “but you can never be too careful, you know?”

Euron studied him for a long moment.

Jeremy hated when he did that.

“I’ll see what I have,” Euron replied finally. “Wait here.”

Euron descended up the stairs, leaving the boys alone. Jeremy was suddenly relieved to be away from the peculiar man.

“Once he gives us the weapon,” Michael said, “we are leaving.”

“Agreed,” Jeremy muttered.

They stood in silence for several minutes before Euron appeared again. He was holding a large sword, a blue stone embedded near the base of the blade. “I think this suits you well.”

“O-Oh.” Jeremy gently took the sword from him, pulling it close to himself. Euron handed him a sheath as well, equippable to his waistband. “Thank you. Thank you so much.”

The sword slid into the sheath smoothly, and Jeremy knew it would take him a while to adjust to the weight. But he didn’t mind. The sword appeared to be _very_ well-made.

Michael coughed, and Jeremy continued.

“Well, we really must be going now,” he said. “Could we take the map?”

Euron’s eyes twinkled. “Be my guest.”

“Thank you.” Michael scooped up the map, folding it and sticking it into his pocket. “Sorry for leaving so quickly. We’re, ah, a bit behind schedule. Supposed to be at our destination a few days ago.”

“Of course.” Euron strode across the room, opening the door wide. “Perhaps we’ll see each other again soon.”

_I_ _hope_ _not_.

“Yeah, maybe,” Jeremy said wistfully. He followed Michael to the door, waiting for his friend to pick up his axe. “Uh, thank you once again. We really appreciate it.”

“Anytime.” Euron looked between the two. “Safe travels.”

“Y-Yeah. Thanks.”

The boys walked outside, hearing the door shut behind them not long after. Neither spoke as they briskly walked through the field, unspokenly trying to put as much distance between themselves and the house as possible.

Once they were far enough away, Jeremy groaned. “I’ve never been more uncomfortable in my entire life.”

“I know, man, oh my god.” Michael pressed his hand to his forehead. “What was _up_ with that guy?”

Jeremy suddenly remembered what Michael had said before. “Wait, what did you mean he was acting suspicious? I just thought he had no emotion.”

“That _is_  suspicious,” Michael shot back. “He kept looking at us like- like he was trying to figure us out.”

Jeremy could still picture his cold blue eyes on him. “...Yeah. I see what you mean.” He glanced behind him. The house was nowhere to be seen. “At least we know _never_ to go here anymore.”

“That’s for sure.” Michael pulled out the map. “Let’s forget him for now. We need to figure out where we are and what to do.”

The boys sat down across from each other, and Michael spread the map before them. It was upside-down to Jeremy but he still understood.

“So we’re here.” Michael pointed to the black dot. “What are we _looking_  for, exactly?”

“Well, we were going to ask Euron how to get out of the game, but I guess we both thought it wouldn’t go well.” Jeremy glanced at the map. “But maybe there’s someone that knows how to help. Think of the characters in the game; which ones might know what to do?”

Michael hummed thoughtfully, running his finger over the map. “What about Elspeth the Great? She’s a magician. Maybe she’ll know?”

Jeremy couldn’t think of a better option. “Alright. She should be in the City of Silver, if I remember correctly. Which means...” he squinted at the map. “...we have to cross the Forest of Integrity to get there. That’s not too bad.”

Michael nodded, folding up the map and slipping it into his pocket. “Alrighty. Hopefully she’ll be able to help. If not, well...” he blinked. “...well, there are other magical characters in the game. We’ll be fine.”

“Yeah.” Jeremy repeated. The weight of the sword at his side was comforting. “We’ll be fine.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! Kudos and comments make my day :)


	3. The Forest of Integrity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jeremy and Michael cross the Forest of Integrity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter felt kind of short to me. Don’t worry! I’ll make sure the next chapter comes out soon :P
> 
> (Blood warning— described vaguely)

______

 

Jeremy Heere

Level 8 Wizard

 

Objective: Track down Elspeth the Great

 

______

 

 

The Forest of Integrity was much more intimidating from the inside.

 

Every rustle of the bushes and every snap of a twig sent Jeremy’s heart racing. The leaves above them were so dense that there was barely any sunlight. Jeremy couldn’t imagine trying to find their way trough without the tiny speckles of sun that managed to slip through.

 

“Do you remember what kind of monsters are in this forest?” Michael asked, a twinge of worry in his voice. “It’s been so long since we were here in the game.”

 

Jeremy wracked his brain. “Uh, mostly low-level stuff, I think. I hope. The forest is pretty small... we’ll probably be able to get through by sunset.”

 

“Yeah,” Michael murmured.

 

Jeremy was hoping beyond hope that Elspeth would be able to help. She was, as most gamers put it, one of the most mysterious characters in the game. If any of the video game characters were self-aware, it was her.

 

“Too bad Euron only gave us a map of Greenwood,” Michael piped up after a long moment. “It’s only half of the map.”

 

The entire game was made up of two halves; the east side, Greenwood, and the west side, Redwood. Redwood was more dangerous, made for higher-level players.

 

“Yeah,” Jeremy agreed. “But we probably won’t have to cross into Redwood. Especially if Elspeth—“

 

The sound of a large branch snapping echoed throughout the forest. Jeremy and Michael froze.

 

Jeremy held his breath, listening to the silence around them. He exchanged a glance with Michael, who appeared just as frightened as he felt.

 

The painful silence grew, until Jeremy whispered, “I think we’re okay.”

 

A deafening screech ripped through the air, sending Jeremy and Michael stumbling back. Something large leapt out from the trees in front of them.

 

It appeared to be a strange mix between a wolf and a warthog, a hunched, bulky four-legged beast with two sharp hooks pointing out from its face. It’s gray matted fur was speckled with dark spots, rippling as the monster lunged forward.

 

Jeremy shrieked, jumping away as the beast flew at him. It skidded over the grass, whirling around to face them.

 

It decided to change its target. A blur of gray and black flew at Michael with a snarl, and the other boy gripped the axe, lunging forward to meet it.

 

“Mich—!”

 

The flat side of the axe made contact with the beast, sending it thudding to the ground with a _crack_. After letting out a howl of pain, it leapt to its feet and leapt at Michael once more.

 

Jeremy was ready. Through the fear and panic that was coursing through his head, he managed to remove his sword from the sheathe, darting forwards.

 

Michael let out a gasp of pain as the beast barreled into him. The axe fell to the ground as he was thrown back, the beast aiming for his neck.

 

Everything was blurry for a moment. Then the snarling went silent.

 

Jeremy felt something heavy slip from his hands, collapsing into the ground. Michael was standing frozen, arms held in front of him, chest heaving.

 

Jeremy looked down to see the wolffish beast splayed out over the ground, a large, shiny sword protruding from its chest. Nausea swept over him as he saw how much _red_ there was, staining the fur and the grass. He looked away, his eyes falling on Michael.

 

“Dude,” Michael said breathlessly. “You just stabbed that thing.”

 

“I... I... oh my god.” Jeremy exhaled heavily, bringing a hand to his forehead. “I did.”

 

Michael coughed, swaying on his feet. “Th-Thanks. I really thought I was going to die there.” He let out a breathy laugh, running a hand over his chest plate. Jeremy could see that it was scuffed up, a few flecks of blood dotting the bronze.

 

“You alright?”

 

“Yeah. It just kinda... knocked the breath out of me.” He took a deep breath, running his hand through his hair as he bent to pick up the axe. “That was a Railbeast, right?”

 

Jeremy studied the wolffish face, which was still contorted into a scowl. “...Yeah, I’m pretty sure.” He chuckled, the frantic adrenaline beginning to fade. “That was only a level 4 monster. Oh, god.”

 

He ran his hands over his face in distress. Monsters that were considered “easy” to defeat went all the way up to level 8. He couldn’t imagine fighting anything else.

 

“Hey, we’ll be fine,” Michael butted in, moving closer to Jeremy. “I mean, if you really think about it, this guy was pretty easy to defeat.” He nudged the limp Railbeast with his foot. “You only really needed to stab it.”

 

“That’s true, I guess.” Jeremy inched forward, tentatively wrapping his hands around the handle of the sword. He tugged it hard, yanking it out of the beast. He shuddered at the scarlet blade.

 

“I guess they don’t drop coins in real life,” Michael joked, studying the beast. Jeremy laughed as he went to wipe the sword off on a bush.

 

“I’m kinda glad it didn’t,” Jeremy replied as he examined the sword. “Imagine stabbing it and a bunch of coins fall out.”

 

“Like a piñata!”

 

“Michael!” Jeremy laughed, sliding the sword back into the sheathe.

 

“I’m not wrong,” Michael chuckled. He weighed the axe in his hands before looking forward. “Well, let’s keep going. The City of Silver shouldn’t be far.”

 

Jeremy nodded, walking next to Michael as they continued forward, leaving the dead Railbeast behind them.

 

It was a while before Michael spoke. “So... why haven’t you been using magic?”

 

Jeremy’s heart skipped a beat. “What?”

 

Michael stepped over a tree root. “You stabbed the Railbeast, but you’re, you know, a wizard.” He shot Jeremy a glance. “I mean, nothing wrong with that! You totally saved my ass. But I just wanna know.”

 

Jeremy fiddled with his hands. To be honest, it was hard to phrase his thoughts into words. “Well... the Railbeast thing was just kind of in the moment. I wasn’t really thinking when I went and stabbed it.” He looked down at his hand, running a finger over his palm. “But still... I don’t know if I’m ready for magic yet. I’d like to at least practice before I use it to fight.”

 

Michael nodded. “Yeah, I get that. You don’t have to until you’re ready.”

 

“Thanks, man.” Jeremy felt his heart swell with appreciation for his friend. “I just— one of my moves is Fireball, you know? I don’t want to go and set the forest on fire,” he added with a laugh.

 

Michael chuckled as well. “And Whirlwind, right? Just going and settling loose an entire tornado.”

 

“That sounds about right, yeah,” Jeremy snickered. He was about to crack a joke about Shadowcast when he noticed the trees thinning around them. “We must be getting close!”

 

The trees eventually opened up, revealing the setting before them. Jeremy’s heart nearly stopped.

 

The city was _massive_. Tall, gleaming buildings reached towards the sun, some twisting out in odd, unique directions. Even from far away, Jeremy could see the movement of people walking and talking between the shiny buildings. The entire city appeared to be made of silver, bright and reflective.

 

Jeremy and Michael exchanged a glance, both of their eyes wide with wonder.

 

Jeremy’s first thought was, man, they are _never_  going to be able to find Elspeth in this.

 

But his doubt was overridden by _excitement_. This was an entire fictional city of magic, and they were _here_ , able to witness it for themselves.

 

For the first time since he woke up, he was genuinely excited to be here.


	4. A Thrift Store, but With Magic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jeremy and Michael look for Elspeth in the City of Silver.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally!
> 
> So, as I was writing this I realized I kind of like the idea of “modern magic”. So, the story might change a bit, at least with the setting! :)

The closer they got to the city, the more intimidating it became.

 

Jeremy and Michael were hovering about fifty feet away. There wasn’t exactly an entrance, so the two slowly approached the massive silver buildings, wondering what to do.

 

Jeremy was terrified that someone would look at them and know they didn’t belong here. He was just waiting for someone to shout “What are you doing here?” and tackle them.

 

However, none of that happened.

 

As they tentatively joined the stream of people walking along the road and past several buildings, the most they got was a glance and a nod.

 

Jeremy exhaled in relief, walking a bit closer to Michael. The pair paused outside a tall building, ducking out of the way of traffic and standing close to the wall. Jeremy was intrigued when he inspected the building; it was made mostly of wood, but it was covered with some sort of gloss which made it extremely reflective. Perhaps the buildings weren’t all made of pure silver.

 

“So, whats the plan?” Michael whispered.

 

Jeremy didn’t answer immediately. He was distracted by a man with gray skin and pointy ears, who was reading a book as he passed by. _An_ _elf!_ “...sorry, what?”

 

Michael glanced at the elf, blinking in surprise. “Oh. Neat,” he said out of earshot to Jeremy. After a moment he repeated himself. “Anyways, what’s the plan? How are we going to find Elspeth?”

 

Jeremy hesitated. “Uh... I don’t know. She’s a show magician, right? Maybe we could find out when her next performance is and talk to her afterwards?”

 

Michael looked impressed. “That’s not a bad idea.” He paused thoughtfully. “If I remember correctly, she performs at taverns and stuff. We should go look for one.”

 

“I’ve never been to a bar before.” Jeremy winced. “You know what you’re doing, right?”

 

Michael laughed. “I’ve never been to one either. But hey, senior year just started, we’re both almost eighteen. We’re going to be adults! Might as well get used to it.”

 

Jeremy laughed despite himself. “Yeah, okay. But you’re doing all the talking.”

 

“I got you, man.”

 

After a few more minutes of planning, the two rejoined the stream of people. It wasn’t overly crowded, but Jeremy did get bumped into several times.

 

“This is so much more different than I thought it would be,” Michael breathed. Jeremy nodded in agreement.

 

The looming buildings, the gangs of people loitering about, the chaotic yet organized bustle of the city. Being in the City of Silver felt so similar to being at home.

 

Michael tentatively approached a group of girls wearing pink dresses and chattering delightedly. He coughed. “Excuse me, do you know where the nearest tavern is?”

 

One girl stepped forward, her pink high heels clicking. She smiled, revealing two, sharp fangs. “Of course,” she purred. “Just down the street and around the corner. Look for the big blue sign.”

 

Michael’s breath hitched as her fangs came into view. “A-Ah, thank you.”

 

He grabbed Jeremy’s sleeve and the two left hurriedly. Jeremy could feel their eyes on him as they walked briskly over the sidewalk.

 

“Were those _vampires_?” Jeremy asked, trying not to look back at the girls. They were too far away anyways.

 

Michael let out a painful laugh. “I think so, yeah. Holy shit. I forgot that some vampires in the game aren’t affected by sunlight.”

 

Jeremy exhaled. “They were nice, though.”

 

Michael laughed again. “And they were wearing pink!”

 

They turned the corner. About twenty feet ahead, Jeremy caught sight of a tall blue sign, extending from a building. _The_ _Drowsy_ _Cobra._ He and Michael exchanged a glance before approaching the door.

 

Jeremy skimmed over the sign on the door. “It’s only open at night,” he explained, glancing at Michael. His companion whistled disappointedly.

 

“Well, I guess we gotta figure out something to do until the sun goes down.” Michael glanced at the sky. “And it seems we won’t have to wait too long.”

 

Jeremy looked towards the sun. He blinked in surprise. He hadn’t realized how much of the day had gone by since they woke up in the field. “Oh! We’re pretty lucky, then. I’d say we only have about one or two hours to kill.” Michael nodded.

 

“How about we check out some of the shops?” He suggested, looking down the street. He bounced back and forth on his feet, taking on a more delighted tone. “I don’t know about you, but I _really_  want to see what’s in a magic thrift store.”

 

Jeremy’s heart jumped a little, happy to see that Michael was adjusting and beginning to act more like his old self again. “Sure! Let’s go check it out.”

 

They made their way down the sidewalk, approaching a glistening building. A large sign was set over the door, labeled “Rascal’s Thrift Shop.” After exchanging knowing looks, the pair pushed open the door and walked inside.

 

The first thing Jeremy noticed was the smell. The shop smelled like pine, but with a hint of dust. He wasn’t surprised; the wallpaper was peeling and the floor creaked. The shop was very rundown.

 

The room could have been spacey if it wasn’t for the shelves and furniture. They were scattered around in a vaguely organized way, just enough so that the few customers could make their way around.

 

Michael moved forward, approaching a shelf full of records. He flipped through them, his eyes widening. “Dude!”

 

Jeremy appeared at his side. Michael gestured to the various bands and artists. “I’ve never heard of any of these! This is crazy!” He held up a record, featuring an abstract album cover. “I just want to listen to all of these.”

 

Jeremy laughed. “We’d have to find a record player to do that.”

 

Michael glanced around. “Good idea. Let’s go find one.”

 

The boys skimmed the shelves, giggling every time some odd piece of decor stood out to them. Jeremy’s favorite was a small statue of a unicorn with extremely short legs.

 

Michael picked up a green and white rock. “Guess how much this is worth.”

 

Jeremy studied the layer of dust that coated it. “Three bronze coins.”

 

“Wrong! Four silver!” After placing the extremely expensive rock back on the shelf, Michael approached a gold and brown record player. His eyes seemed to light up. “Hell yeah.”

 

“How much is it?”

 

Michael glanced at the price tag below it. He pursed his lips. “Three gold. Right— never mind!” Chuckling, he turned away, although Jeremy could tell his friend did seem disappointed.

 

“I’m sure we’ll find another record player somewhere,” Jeremy assured him. “And if not, we’re in the game! We’ve gotta hear some of the music eventually.”

 

Michael smiled. “Yeah, you’re right.”

 

They spent the next twenty minutes looking through every little thing on the shelves. A small part of Jeremy still couldn’t believe they were actually in the game.

 

Something caught his eye on a nearby shelf. He turned, examining it.

 

It was a keychain, displaying about ten assorted keys of all shapes and colors. A small note below it read, “Key collection. Decoration only.”

 

Jeremy frowned. After a moment he reached into his pocket and withdrew the golden key, laying it flat on his palm. It was a bit bigger than his finger, shiny and clean.

 

Michael approached, peeking at the key. “Woah, dude. Since when did you have this?”

 

“It was in my pocket when I woke up,” Jeremy explained. “I... I kinda forgot about it until now.” He ran his finger over the gold metal. “I wonder what it’s for.”

 

“All of my stuff, I already had in the game. Like the axe. Did you ever pick up a key?”

 

“Not that I know of, no.” After a moment Jeremy put the key away. “I mean, if we ever need to unlock something, we could give it a shot. Other than that it’s kind of useless.”

 

Michael shrugged. “Yeah, I guess. Maybe you could sell it?”

 

Jeremy hesitated. “I... I’m gonna keep it. Just in case.”

 

“Sure, it’s totally up to you.”

 

Jeremy nodded, straightening his hood. After a moment of hesitation, he glanced towards the door. “Well, it’s been about an hour, give or take. Wanna go check and see if it’s open?”

 

“Absolutely!”

 

The pair exited the building, hearing the door click shut behind them. The first thing Jeremy noticed was that the sky got dark really fast. The sun was just above the horizon. Once his eyes adjusted, he looked to his right.

 

The blue sign was now glowing, some sort of radiant light lining the edges. The letters were now a vibrant pink, able to be seen for miles.

 

“Well,” Michael said with a glance at Jeremy. “It’s open.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so excited for the next part!! I hope you are too :D


	5. You Can Say That Again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It took me a while to decide what was going to happen in this chapter, and I’m happy with how it turned out! :)

Jeremy was grateful that Michael entered first. His heart was fluttering nervously, and the butterflies in his stomach wouldn’t go away.

 

He followed his friend inside, brushing his arm against his to ensure they wouldn’t get lost. Glancing around, he saw that it was very dark inside. The only light source was these round glass objects strung across the ceiling, emitting glows of blue and pink.

 

There were several tables and booths around the establishment. A semi-circular wooden counter was the bar, taking up an entire wall. There were more blue glass balls inside, lighting up the entire bar.

 

A few people glanced up when they entered, but otherwise ignored them. Jeremy figured it was so empty because it had opened only a few minutes ago.

 

“Let’s just take a table and figure out what to do from there,” Michael whispered. When Jeremy nodded, he crossed he room, sitting at a table for two on the wall adjacent to the bar. Jeremy joined him just as he was setting Battlewinner below the table.

 

Jeremy lifted his head when an elvish couple sat down at a table nearby. He still wasn’t used to seeing actual fantasy creatures. “So, this is some sort of restaurant and a bar,” he inferred.

 

Michael glanced around. “Seems like it.” He lowered his voice, leaning in so Jeremy could hear. “So, I’m thinking we can just ask someone about Elspeth. Maybe the waitress or waiter or something.”

 

Jeremy nodded, thankful that Michael was calm and collected. “Yeah, that’s probably—“ he broke off suddenly. His eyes had landed on a slim figure across the room. “Isn’t that the girl from before?”

 

Michael turned around to look at what he was talking about. The tall figure, wearing a long pink dress and bouncy blonde hair, vanished through a back door.

 

“The vampires,” Michael murmured, his brow pinched together in confusion. He turned back around, glancing at something over Jeremy’s shoulder. “Look.”

 

Jeremy glanced over his shoulder, trying not to attract too much attention. He still managed to catch sight of the pink-adorned girl running the bar, jet black hair brushing her shoulders.

 

Jeremy turned back to his friend, eyes wide. “The vampires work here.”

 

The thought was both outrageous and oddly comforting. Jeremy couldn’t believe that the people they needed to talk to were right in front of them and they hadn’t even known. At least they had familiar faces close by.

 

Michael raised an eyebrow, chuckling lightly. “It’s a small world, I guess,” he joked, flashing Jeremy a smile. When the blonde vampire walked near them, Michael waved her down. Jeremy’s heart nearly stopped.

 

The vampire approached, smiling at the two. “I remember you,” she said sweetly, fangs flashing in the low light. “I’m glad you found the bar. Is there anything you gentlemen would like to drink?”

 

Jeremy and Michael locked eyes. After a moment Michael asked politely, “Do you have a menu?”

 

The vampire smiled once more. “Ah, yes, you gentlemen are new here. I’ll be right back.”

 

She returned shortly with two menus, made of old but sturdy wood. Jeremy tentatively picked his up, skimming over the options.

 

“I’ll just take a Glittering Ice,” Michael told her. She nodded, turning to Jeremy expectantly.

 

Jeremy paused before replying. “I’ll take a Glittering Ice too.”

 

“Perfect. I will be back shortly.” She smiled at the pair before moving on to another table.

 

Jeremy exhaled, shooting Michael a grin. “This is too weird.”

 

“You can say that again.”

 

The pair shared a laugh. Jeremy’s hand drifted over the table, gently running his fingers over the smooth wood. He could tell that he was slowly becoming more and more accustomed to this odd world.

 

Jeremy’s gaze floated over the various signs and posters on the walls. One read in bold blue letters, “All are welcome.” Another announced, “Open all night.”

 

“I think this place is made specifically for vampires,” Jeremy mused, glancing around. The establishment was beginning to fill up, and he could see that most of the people here were wearing dark clothing. Once again his gaze swept over the two gray-skinned elves sitting nearby. “Or just nocturnal creatures in general.”

 

Michael nodded slowly. “Yeah... there’s almost no humans here. I mean, there’s that group over here, but that’s about it, aside from us.” He cracked a smile. “Maybe she thinks you’re a vampire.”

 

Jeremy forced a chuckle. “Yeah, right.”

 

“I mean, you’re wearing a black cloak and you’re super pale. You don’t have fangs, but you barely talked to her. She wouldn’t be able to tell!” Michael leaned back, letting out a laugh. “Holy shit, man!”

 

Jeremy was about to give a playful retort, but he cut himself off as the blonde vampire returned, holding a glass in each hand. Both of them contained a sparkly, light blue substance.

 

“Here we go.” She set them down on the table with a slight ‘clink’. “Would you like to order food as well?”

 

Jeremy shrugged, so Michael said, “We’ll just share a small salad.”

 

“Of course.” The vampire turned to leave, but Jeremy spoke up.

 

“I-I’m sorry, but have you ever heard of Elspeth? Elspeth the Great?”

 

She looked momentarily surprised, but it was replaced with another smile. “I’ve heard of her, yes. She’s performed here a couple times. Why?”

 

Jeremy shot Michael a look before continuing. “Well, we just needed to talk to her. Do you know how we might be able to contact her?”

 

She paused. “Well, I know she lives somewhere on the western of the city. She’s not a big fan of uninvited visitors. However, if you write a polite letter I’m sure she’ll comply.” She turned slightly as another table flagged her down. “Just ask one of my girls and they’ll give you the address.” She shot Jeremy a smile before walking to the other table.

 

Jeremy exhaled, turning to Michael. He was about to speak when another male voice butted in.

 

“Are you fans of Elspeth or something?” Jeremy turned around to see that it was one of the gray-skinned elves that had spoken.

 

Michael responded. “You could say that, I guess. We just have some questions about magic and stuff and we figured she could help.”

 

The male elf tilted his head. “You know, there are lots of wizards around that’d be willing to mentor. You don’t have to try with Elspeth.”

 

“Well— it’s more about, uh, a specific kind of magic,” Michael replied. The elves looked perplexed, so he added on hurriedly, “It’s hard to explain.”

 

The elf paused before giving ashrug. “Alright.” He gave them a nod before turning back to his girlfriend, continuing his quiet conversation.

 

The rest of their time there was relatively quiet. The salad and the Glittering Ices were gone quickly. Despite the growing noise of the people around them, Jeremy and Michael managed to ignore them and plan their next steps accordingly.

 

The blonde vampire collected their payment as they were standing up to leave. She gave them the address on a small slip of paper, which Jeremy stowed into his pocket.

 

“Come again soon,” she purred as they left the establishment.

 

Jeremy was surprised when he realized that he wasn’t that tired. Perhaps the video game rules still applied; eating food restored their energy.

 

Jeremy and Michael locked eyes. “We should probably wait till morning to meet with Elspeth,” Michael suggested, glancing at the moon above them. A smile crept over his face. “I mean, that thrift store was pretty cool. I wouldn’t mind exploring some other stores until morning.”

 

Jeremy let out a laugh. “Lead the way.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did it surprise you that the vampires owned the bar? 
> 
> I was SO EXCITED to write it haha


	6. Spilling the Tea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jeremy and Michael finally find who they’re looking for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait! I hope this chapter makes up for it :)

Jeremy stood before the small house. He had been staring at the silvery, reflective walls for so long, that his eyes were starting to water.

 

He blinked when it occurred to him that it had only been a couple seconds. He dragged his hand over his face before turning to Michael. “You wanna knock?”

 

The sun was slowly rising, the house casting a shadow over them. They had arrived at Elspeth’s house a few minutes ago, but neither of them wanted were prepared to actually meet her.

 

Michael was examining her mailbox. It was simple and carved neatly. The thing that really stood out, however, was the amount of papers.

 

Letters upon letters were shoved inside the mailbox, half of them hanging out at odd angles, with four of five littering the sidewalk. Michael was watching it with a peculiar expression.

 

“What’s up?” Jeremy asked tentatively.

 

Michael didn’t look up as he responded, “this is a lot of letters.”

 

“...Well, yeah. She’s famous, isn’t she?”

 

“Yeah, but like...” Michael gestured to the odd abundance of letters. “...doesn’t she ever empty her mailbox? Some of these letters are basically falling apart.”

 

Jeremy blinked in surprise, peeking over at the mailbox. Michael was right. A select few of the letters were barely readable because the ink was too faded.

 

Pushing away his doubts, Jeremy shrugged. “I.... I’m sure she has her reasons.”

 

Michael bit his lip. “...Yeah.” After a moment he straightened up, approaching the door. Jeremy noticed the way he fumbled with the large axe, attempting to make himself look as unthreatening as possible. Jeremy was grateful his sword fit neatly at his side.

 

The pair stood before the white, neatly painted door. Michael took a deep breath before raising his hand. He knocked three times.

 

There was no response.

 

Jeremy made eye contact with Michael, fiddling with his robe. After a minute or two, Michael knocked again, a little louder this time.

 

Jeremy was about to suggest leaving when the door suddenly creaked open. He jumped in surprise before straightening up.

 

“Can I help you?”

 

The door stayed cracked open. A single blue eye was looking through, narrowed thoughtfully.

 

“A-Ah, yes, we, uh—“ Jeremy cleared his throat. “We’d like to talk to you.”

 

“Sorry, I don’t accept visitors.” The door slammed shut.

 

“W-Wait!” Michael called, leaning forward. “We need your help. Please.”

 

“You’re the only one that can help,” Jeremy added on, before wincing at how silly that sounded.

 

To his surprise, the door cracked open once more. The cool blue eye returned, examining them. “Come again?”

 

Michael and Jeremy glanced at each other. Michael was the one who spoke, his voice quiet. “We have a... magic problem we think you can solve.” His voice dropped, even softer. “But we can’t talk about it outside.”

 

Jeremy was impressed with how persuasive Michael was. Elspeth continued watching them, an interested but suspicious look crossing her face. Finally she let out a sigh and pulled the door open.

 

“Fine. But you can’t stay more than an hour.”

 

——————

 

Elspeth was much, much different in real life.

 

In the game she was mysterious and graceful, always swishing her cape and talking in whispers.

 

But here she was, sitting across from them at a birchwood table, looking tired and annoyed. Jeremy swallowed nervously, holding onto his steaming cup of tea with both hands. Michael did the same, although he held himself a bit more securely.

 

“So what’s your issue, exactly?” Elspeth huffed, taking a sip of her tea. The ends of her dark hair brushed the table as she did so.

 

Jeremy gave Michael a knowing look before taking a deep breath. He knew they needed to tell the truth, but it needed to be phrased exactly right.

 

“We’re not from here,” he began, keeping his eyes trained on the beverage in front of him. “Not from Greenwood or Redwood, or anything past that. We belong in a different universe.”

 

Elspeth swirled her tea around, watching him with a sudden interest. “Have you two been conjured?” She asked thoughtfully. “Or summoned?”

 

Jeremy hesitated ever so slightly. “Kind of. We’re from an entirely different universe that’s nothing like this. Yesterday morning we woke up on the western edge of Greenwood, and we still don’t know what to do.” Michael nodded in agreement.

 

Elspeth hummed. “Interesting. I’ve never heard of anything quite like this before.” She tilted her head, watching them through cool blue eyes. “Only demons or ghosts can be summoned, but perhaps being a part of a different reality allows you to be summoned as well. Or perhaps someone from your universe expelled you here?”

 

“We don’t have magic in our universe,” Michael explained softly.

 

Elspeth nodded. “Well, that narrows things down a bit more. Someone from this universe had to have summoned you.”

 

Jeremy blinked, exchanging a look with Michael. “Who?”

 

Elspeth sighed. “How am I supposed to know?” She muttered, her annoyed persona showing through once more. “Perhaps you should just leave.”

 

There was a beat of silence.

 

“U-Uh, we still don’t know—“

 

Elspeth cut Michael off with a sudden shake of her head. “I’m sorry, that was quite rude of me. I’m just a bit tired, it seems.” She ran a pale hand over her face. “You may stay.”

 

Jeremy blinked in confusion, although he was relieved. “...Thank you?”

 

Elspeth straightened up. “You were summoned for a reason. However, it appears our universes have never intervened before, and therefore no one here should know you exist.”

 

Jeremy nodded in understanding, feeling himself deflate. “Right. That makes no sense.” He also wasn’t sure how to explain to Elspeth that this universe _did_  exist back home, but as a video game. How did that factor in? “Maybe someone summoned us by accident?”

 

“It seems that is the case.” Elspeth paused. “When you woke up, was anyone with you?”

 

“No.”

 

“Then it is highly probable that you were summoned to a random location completely by accident. If you want to return to your universe, you’re going to have to find your summoner.”

 

Jeremy felt his heart sink.

 

This universe was so big, and there were so many people that could have summoned them. How were they to find them? What if they refused to send them back?

 

“How do we do that?” Michael asked weakly. Elspeth let out a sigh.

 

“I’m sorry. Finding your summoner will be extremely challenging, if not impossible. It seems you’re going to have to reside here.”

 

Jeremy stared, his heart rate accelerating. She had to be joking, right? One of the most talented magicians out there _had_ to have some other solution.

 

They couldn’t stay here.

 

Her blue eyes were soft and full of sympathy. His hands clutched the cup so tightly his knuckles were white.

 

Something in her eyes flickered, an unnatural hint of blue and white passing over her eyes. She blinked and it was gone.

 

“If it would help, you could stay here for the day, perhaps—“ she began gently.

 

“N-No.” Jeremy’s shaking hands pushed the still steaming cup of tea towards her. The cup toppled over, the liquid inside spilling over the table. He sat back, feeling his heart pounding well beyond what was normal. “I think we should go.”

 

“Jeremy—?”

 

“You don’t have to—“

 

Jeremy stood up, barely noticing how his chair was knocked back. The air around him felt so tight, so suffocating, so constricting—

 

“We’re _leaving._  Right now. Come on, Michael.” Jeremy forced out. Michael shot him a confused, worried look before carefully standing up.

 

“Y-Yeah, we’re gonna go,” he told Elspeth. “Thank you for the tea and the advice.”

 

The magician blinked, confusion masking her features. “If you’re sure.”

 

“We are.”

 

Jeremy’s senses were so muddled he barely registered his feet walking towards the door, Michael nervously trailing after him. Michael picked up his axe near the door, bid Elspeth a final farewell, and followed Jeremy outside.

 

He only spoke when the door fell shut. “Dude, what the hell was that?” Michael exclaimed, eyes wide. Jeremy bit his lip, the blood still pounding in his ears.

 

“Something... something was off,” Jeremy explained slowly, his heart rate decreasing steadily. Michael’s brow furrowed.

 

“What?”

 

“She— She wasn’t—“ Jeremy rocked on his feet, suddenly feeling very self-conscious. “I don’t trust her.”

 

“Why? She was trying to help us!” Michael sighed. “Sure, she was a little rude in the beginning, but eventually she offered to let us stay!”

 

“I _know,_ but—“ Jeremy coughed, dragging his fingers through his hair. “You just gotta trust me on this.”

 

Michael watched him for a long time before muttering, “Okay.” Jeremy relaxed slightly, however the tension was still there.

 

Michael glanced around, heaving a breath. “Well...

 

...now what?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now what are they gonna do?
> 
>  
> 
> (I thrive off of comments and kudos by the way haha)

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos are always appreciated! ;)


End file.
